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Fort Morgan Chamber shares progress for year to date

It has been a great year for the Fort Morgan Area Chamber of Commerce, and we would like to share the progress that has been made thus far in 2012.

Our "reboot" process is working. At our annual meeting in February, we explained how the chamber board of directors identified core values that the chamber will not only abide by, but promote through its plan of work. These included setting short term goals and objectives based on our mission statements and core values. Please allow me to review what we were looking to accomplish and explain the successes seen by the chamber this year:

Provide more effective networking opportunities: We have re-established Business After Hours and Chamber Luncheon programs. The calendar for 2012 BAH through the end of the year is full. Additionally, several members have called to schedule open houses and/or ribbon cuttings since April, including new members such as the Fort Morgan Federal Credit Union and Banner Health. More ribbon cuttings are scheduled soon; we will keep you posted.

Offer effective professional development: Working with partners such as the Northeast Central Colorado Small Business Development Center and the Brush chamber, we have been able to provide more opportunities for our members to attend seminars and classes beyond what the Chamber offers.

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The Fort Morgan chamber has presented two seminars so far this year -- Sandy Engle from Colorado Plains Medical Center spearheaded a business marketing seminar and the Northeast Central Colorado SBDC on how new and existing businesses can obtain free help and counseling for their business to determine if they are heading in the right direction. We have two seminars coming up in September and November that we are looking forward to presenting to our members and the community.

Growth for 2012: We have brought on board 11 new members to the chamber since April, which is very encouraging. However, the really exciting aspect about our membership growth efforts is that we are seeing members renewing after being away from the Chamber for several years. This is reassuring and shows that we are headed in the right direction and that people are taking notice. We've also re-established the Chamber Ambassador program, whose goal is to personally visit as many existing Chamber members as possible.

Strengthen and build partnerships with local resources: Go to a chamber event, meeting, luncheon, Business After Hours, etc. and you will find a board member or the executive director in attendance. We are proud to have reconnected with many groups that we had lost connections with, and plan to continue to do so in the future.

Cutting back on events. This was not an easy decision for the chamber. The board of directors took a long look at each past Chamber event and determined which of those would most benefit our members and our community. Carrying on with our core events and partnering with others allows us to have a presence without working every day to plan another event. It is not always quantity. Quality is what matters. We will still continue the Trick or Treat Trail and the Christmas Parade. You saw us at the Annual Community Breakfast and Star Athletic Club Volleyball Tournament, the New Teacher Breakfast and the Ag Appreciation Golf Tournament. We were able to work with Media Logic Radio on vendor booths for BOBStock, and the Chamber is very pleased to once again be on the sponsor list for the Fall Harvest Car Show.

Membership. Our Membership is front and center. We refer potential customers to their business; provide website exposure, networking, education, social networking and the opportunity to be a part of a group that has been in existence since 1919. The Fort Morgan Area Chamber of Commerce represents its members in various activities and meetings. We give our members the opportunity to provide materials and publications that can be distributed to the general public and visiting groups. We not only represent the business members, but also the individual members who have signed on to be a part of the chamber. I encourage you to get information to become a chamber member. Make new contacts, learn and grow personally and professionally, market your business, contribute to building a stronger economy and invest in the future of the Fort Morgan Area Chamber of Commerce.

We are currently seeking nominations for the Chamber Board of Directors. If you or someone you know would be interested in representing the Fort Morgan Area Chamber of Commerce, please contact Robin Northrup at the Fort Morgan Chamber, 300 Main Street, Fort Morgan, CO 80701 - 970 867 6702, fmchamber@qwestoffice.net, http://fortmorganchamber.org/

The Fort Morgan Area Chamber of Commerce will continue to learn and grow, just like every other business and organization. Our team is strong, our members are supportive and we are there to help our business community by providing services that benefit all of us living and working in Fort Morgan and Morgan County.

-- Robin Northrup is executive director of the Fort Morgan Area Chamber of Commerce.

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